


In your arms

by Mechanical_Curse



Category: Batman - All Media Types, DCU, Titans (TV 2018)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Crying, Cuddling & Snuggling, Hugs, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, Season 2 spoilers
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-06
Updated: 2020-03-06
Packaged: 2021-02-28 18:07:01
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,669
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23041453
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Mechanical_Curse/pseuds/Mechanical_Curse
Summary: Spoilers for season 2When Jason tries to punch him, Dick decides not to use force to stop him, but to try something else.It changes everything between them, especially after Jason is left traumatised after almost dying at Deathstroke's hand.
Relationships: Dick Grayson/Jason Todd
Comments: 12
Kudos: 268





	In your arms

“Don’t”

One second before it happens, Dick knows Jason is going to attack him. Everything in his body language screams it, from the murderous look in his eyes to his tense jaws and shoulders. So, when he lunches at him, Dick is more than ready to retaliate. He barely hears Rachel and Gar’s shocked gasps when the strike comes.

His first instinct is to let his training kick in. He’s more experienced than the new Robin, it wouldn’t be hard to take him down. In a flash, his hand finds its way to the back of Jason’s head without any effort. Just as he’s about to slam him down on the floor, Dick changes his mind, something he wouldn’t have been able to do if Jason’s intentions hadn’t been so obvious.

After all, Jason’s annoying behavior doesn’t fool him. Even if he acts like a brat most of the time, Dick can tell that deep down, he’s desperate to prove his worth, to make someone, anyone, proud of him. That, Dick can understand, because he felt the same not so long ago.

So instead of hurting him even more, of breaking what’s left of the fragile trust Jason puts in him, he pulls him close. His arms tighten around Jason in a tender hug, making sure in the process that he won’t try to punch him again.

Jason tenses against him, but he doesn’t try to squirm away from his grasp. Somewhere in the back of his mind, Dick knows he should just let go of him, knows that Rachel and Gar must be staring at them. However, something compels him to do the exact opposite.

“Listen, I know you’re angry at me for not involving you in this mission. I’m not doing this to spite you. It’s just… I care too much about you to put your life at risk, Jason.”

There’s a raw edge in his voice, because of course he remembers what happened to Jericho five years ago. In his nightmares, it happens again and again, except that in those, it’s Jason, Rachel and Gar who die pierced by a sword.

“Hey, bro, are you alright?”

There’s no rage left in Jason’s words. Only concern. Dick understands why when he realizes he started shaking lightly against the younger man.

“I will be, don’t worry.”

This time, Dick gently pushes him back, even though he has to hide just how watery his eyes when Jason starts staring at him. After all, the Titans have just been reunited recently and he already feels like everything is falling apart. And he’s their leader, so of course, the blame is on him.

His small, sad smile doesn’t seem to convince Jason. It looks like there’s a thousand things he wants to say, like he’s unable to settle on just one. Dick fears what his next words will be, that it might be something that will force him to expose truths he’d rather kept hidden.

Somehow, Jason must sense it, because what he says next offers Dick the perfect escape.

“Hey, you know what, I’m fucking bored. Wanna go training?”

It sounds forced, almost ridiculous, but Dick couldn’t be more thankful. Right now, that proposition is like heaven to him. There’s nothing he wants more than to let go of all the tension plaguing his body by sparing. So of course, he agrees and follows Jason.

Jason still gets kidnapped by Deathstroke, but for different reasons. If he doesn’t warn Dick that Gar and him spotted Dr Light, it’s because he wants to preserve him. Despite his best efforts to hide it, the detective has been stressed lately, always on edge. Jason fears this could put him in danger during a mission.

Also, some part of him can’t help but imagine how Dick will look at him, with eyes filled with pride, if Jason manages to defeat Dr Light. And even if it sounds silly, to go after a criminal alone just to impress Dick, he can’t deny that it’s one of his main motivations.

Of course, that plan backfires when he gets captured.

Even though he tries to act tough on the outside, he’s terrified the whole time. But he’s lived on the street, he knows that showing any of weakness will only make it worse.

In the end, his bravado doesn’t prevent Deathstroke from breaking him.

He hears Dick screaming his name as he falls. The buildings become nothing more than a blur around him. Then he’s miraculously saved and they go back to the Tower, but in his mind, he’s still falling.

He is staring at the window when he remembers that hug they shared. Somehow, it feels like it happened an eternity ago. Jason had never felt more grounded in reality than in that moment when Dick held him tight. The minute he thinks about it, he starts longing for it, too.

It’s the middle of the night when he knocks on Dick’s door. He feels shy, insecure, small even and he hates it. He doesn’t have to wait long though, which tells him that he isn’t the only one having trouble falling asleep. The bags under Dick’s eyes are just another proof of that. When he looks at him, Jason doesn’t know if he wants to run away or throw himself in his arms.

“I… Can we talk?”

“Of course, come in.”

Dick’s room is minimalistic to say the least. The former Robin only keeps the bare minimum in here. However, Jason still thinks there’s some warmth in the way the detective put things together.

They sit together at the end of Dick’s bed. At first, Jason fears he won’t be able to find his words, but the moment Dick puts his hand over his in a comforting gesture, it all comes spiraling out of his mouth.

“I’m sorry, I know it’s all my fault… Fuck, I just wanted to show you that you could count on me, that I didn’t need to be protected, but I screwed up…”

He starts crying for what must be the millionth time since he got rescued, to the point where he’s almost surprised that he’s still got any tears left. That’s all it takes for Dick to wrap his arms around him. Jason lets out a relieved sigh as he rests his head on his broad chest. As long as Dick stays with him, he knows he’ll be protected. Safe.

“it’s not your fault, Jason. If anything, it’s mine.”

Dick strokes his back in a tender motion and caresses his hair as he tells Jason the whole story of what happened to Jericho. His voice breaks a few times through it. It’s clear that he’s expecting Jason to burst out in rage at any moment, to blame him for everything. However, Jason has no intention to leave the safe haven that provide his arms.

After he reaches the end of the story, they sit in silence for a few seconds before Jason puts a hand on Dick’s cheek to force him to look at him. The detective does so with reluctance. There’s no hiding his fear of rejection.

“You didn’t kill Jericho. Deathstroke did.”

“But without me deciding to use him, he would still be alive.”

“No, he would still be alive if his father wasn’t a fucking psycho who tortures and murders people. You never intended to kill someone innocent, but he clearly did.”

As soon as he says the words, it reminds Jason of what Deathstroke did to him and all of a sudden, he is falling again, but Dick’s embrace brings him back to reality. From the troubled look in his eyes, he can tell he’s still ridden with guilt. It’s something a reassurance speech alone won’t change, but from the way Dick relaxes, Jason can tell he expected his reaction to be way more violent.

That explains why he let that secret burden his mind for so long. He certainly expected all his friends to turn their back on him the moment he revealed the truth to them. Something that Jason refuses to do.

“But Deathstroke hurt you because you were close to me. Maybe… Maybe reforming the Titans was a mistake. If we all went our own way, maybe he would leave us alone.”

“And let him win? Make us easy targets so he can slaughter us all one after the other if he wants to? Fuck no! I… Dick, please… You can’t leave me alone when he’s still out there.”

It gets to the point where he just can’t control his sobs anymore. The scar left by Deathstroke when he removed his tracker hurts once more. But Dick rocks him in his arms before the world turns to a blur again.

“Okay, we’re staying together. Just calm down, okay? I’m here.”

It takes some time, but his panicked breathing finally evens out. At some point, Dick makes him lay on the bed. In other circumstances, Jason would complain that he doesn’t need to be treated like a child. But he gave up on his pride the moment he entered this room almost shaking from head to toe, so instead he whispers a small “Thank you” before hiding his face against Dick’s shirt once more.

They both know that not everything is fixed, that Deathstroke is still out there, thirsty for vengeance. But just for this night, they decide to ignore it. In the morning, Dick will certainly reveal his secret to the whole team and they have no idea of telling how they’ll react. What Jason knows though is that he won’t leave Dick’s side no matter what happens next.

Not when he feels safe enough next to him to fall asleep willingly for the first time since he got abducted. He doesn’t fight when his eyelids get heavy, reassured by the sound of Dick’s steady heartbeat.

In his dreams, Jason falls again, but it doesn’t matter because this time Dick is here to catch him and keep him safe in his arms.


End file.
